V/P Circulating pump failure?

johnbo

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
Messages
165
Hi,

We had finally a nice warm day on a weekend, so I started to undo the winterization process. Noted that I'm getting a pretty consistent drip of water from what appears to be the back side of the circulating pump. Not a drip from anywhere else.

I can't see the source, but its not from the front, and its not leaking from the passages back into the block, that I can see.

There is no external rust that I can see, it seems that it must be the gasket on the back of the water pump.

Is this a common failure point?

I'm trying to figure out if it was caused by a mistake on my part for the winterization steps. I'm guessing that maybe some water sat in there over the winter. The block was drained, all the hoses were disconnected (at the bottoms), and the manifolds/risers. But, I'm not sure if it is possible for water to sit in the pump after all of that.

From the OEM manuals it indicates that there is no repair of the pump itself, but are the gaskets on the back plate available?

Thanks,

johnbo
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,464
Re: V/P Circulating pump failure?

Ayuh,....

There's actually a Weep Hole in the snout of the waterpump,...
If it's leaking from There,... The Seal is Shot.....
If it Froze,+ Blew out the Gasket,....
The Repair will be the same for both issues,..... Replace the Pump,... It's Non-servicable....
 

rodbolt

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 1, 2003
Messages
20,066
Re: V/P Circulating pump failure?

thats why I drain and refill with a non toxic A/F mix. seals and shafts dont corrode.
its fairly common for the pump shaft seals to fail on later GM circ pumps if left dry.
I get several every spring, just like carb jobs and cracked castings :)
 

Don S

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Aug 31, 2004
Messages
62,321
Re: V/P Circulating pump failure?

And sometimes, things just break or go bad for no particular reason.
 

rodbolt

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 1, 2003
Messages
20,066
Re: V/P Circulating pump failure?

yep
many times filling out the casualty report on the CIWS I marked the box labeled reason for failure with NAR
NAR means No Apparent Reason.
sounds way cooler than just cause :)
 

johnbo

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
Messages
165
Re: V/P Circulating pump failure?

Ok, I think that I get the picture. I'll go order one up. I'll take a peek at the old one and see if there was anything that I did to cause it, but I'm guessing that this is a 'NAR'.

Michigan Motors seems to sell a GM marine pump for this application for a reasonable price. The only question is that they seem to cover all sorts of applications with this (metal vs composite timing cover, standard vs counter-rotation), can this be true? I'd seem other parts lists that seem to differentiate between these factors.

Thanks,

johnbo
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,464
Re: V/P Circulating pump failure?

Michigan Motors seems to sell a GM marine pump for this application for a reasonable price.

Ayuh,.... Call'em,+ Ask'em....

They seems to be Reputable people, with a Good track record,....
I'm sure they'll know the answers to your questions.....
 
Top